Tunisia’s Free Destourian Party Challenges Ennahda Movement’s Legitimacy

Some supporters of Head of Tunisia’s opposition Free Destourian Party Abir Moussa, who accuses Ennahda Party of executing the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda in Tunisia (EPA)
Some supporters of Head of Tunisia’s opposition Free Destourian Party Abir Moussa, who accuses Ennahda Party of executing the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda in Tunisia (EPA)
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Tunisia’s Free Destourian Party Challenges Ennahda Movement’s Legitimacy

Some supporters of Head of Tunisia’s opposition Free Destourian Party Abir Moussa, who accuses Ennahda Party of executing the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda in Tunisia (EPA)
Some supporters of Head of Tunisia’s opposition Free Destourian Party Abir Moussa, who accuses Ennahda Party of executing the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda in Tunisia (EPA)

Head of Tunisia’s opposition Free Destourian Party Abir Moussa has challenged the legal license granted to Ennahda Islamic Movement since January 2011.

Moussa stressed in a press conference on Tuesday that Ennahda was “formed in contradiction to the legal formulas.”

She presented a document signed by Head of the Movement Rached Ghannouchi, dating back to January 28, 2011.

The document includes a permit to establish the movement, while Ghannouchi was not at the time in the country, which makes it possible to “challenge the legitimacy of licensing the movement in political activity,” she noted.

After submitting a request to the Ministry of Relations with Constitutional Bodies, Civil Society, and Human Rights to have access to information, Moussa said she was able to obtain the legal file for the Movement’s establishment and found out it was “illegal and the documents included are not complete.”

The opposition leader stressed she will file an appeal before the Administrative Court to cancel the license, while preserving the right to resort to legal proceedings against whoever facilitated and participated in granting Ennahda the license.

Moussa affirmed she will sue former Interior minister Farhat Rajhi for granting a license for Ennahda in 2011 without meeting legal requirements.

It is noteworthy that Ennahda Movement was banned from the political activity during the ruling of Presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

It regained its position in the political scene after the 2011 revolution and became one of the most present and influential political parties.

The Free Destourian Party has recently submitted a bill to the parliament, in which it proposed classifying the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.

According to observers, this bill mainly targets Ennahda Movement, as Moussa accuses it of not abandoning its relationship with the organization and still representing a branch for it in Tunisia despite being classified as terrorist by some countries.



Canada Eases Sanctions on Syria

13 February 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, arrives at the Bavarian Hof for the 62nd Munich Security Conference. Photo: Felix Hörhager/dpa
13 February 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, arrives at the Bavarian Hof for the 62nd Munich Security Conference. Photo: Felix Hörhager/dpa
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Canada Eases Sanctions on Syria

13 February 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, arrives at the Bavarian Hof for the 62nd Munich Security Conference. Photo: Felix Hörhager/dpa
13 February 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, arrives at the Bavarian Hof for the 62nd Munich Security Conference. Photo: Felix Hörhager/dpa

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said on Wednesday that Canada had amended its economic sanctions on Syria ‌to ease ‌restrictions related ‌to the ⁠import and export ⁠of goods, investment activities and the provision of financial and other ⁠services, according to Reuters.

"The amendments also ‌remove ‌24 entities and ‌one individual from ‌the Syria Regulations to reduce barriers to economic activity and ‌to enable transactions with state-affiliated entities ⁠in ⁠key sectors critical to Syria’s recovery," Anand said in a statement.


Tetteh: Despite UN Engagement, No Progress in Libya Roadmap

Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh Getty)
Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh Getty)
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Tetteh: Despite UN Engagement, No Progress in Libya Roadmap

Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh Getty)
Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Hanna Tetteh Getty)

The UN’s top envoy for Libya, Hanna Tetteh, has informed the Security Council that despite active United Nations engagement, the Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State have failed to make progress on the first steps of the agreed political roadmap, including establishing a mechanism to select the board of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) and advancing electoral legislation.

Briefing the Council in New York on Wednesday, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General said: “Their inability to use their agreed mechanism and follow-on unilateral actions has further eroded their credibility."

Tetteh added that Libyan public perceptions reflect a growing belief that the bodies are “unable or unwilling” to deliver.

She told Council members that she has begun consultations with key actors on an alternative two-step approach aimed at restoring momentum. Should a smaller group of Libyan representatives fail to agree on the roadmap’s milestones, she warned, a broader convening would be required. “We cannot wait indefinitely,” she emphasized.

The UN envoy also issued a stark warning about escalating tensions within Libya’s judicial system.

She said “contradictory, parallel judicial decisions put into jeopardy the unity of the legal and judicial systems,” cautioning that the situation “is a red line that if crossed can undermine the unity of the state.”

She urged Libyan leaders to refrain from further escalatory steps and called on the Council to hold accountable those taking actions that threaten to fracture the judiciary.

Tetteh also warned that transnational criminal networks continue to expand, turning Libya into a major transit hub for drug trafficking and sustaining illicit economies linked to corruption and armed groups.


Damascus, in Cooperation with Baghdad, Foils Plot to Smuggle Drugs Abroad

Quantities of Captagon prepared for smuggling abroad- SANA
Quantities of Captagon prepared for smuggling abroad- SANA
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Damascus, in Cooperation with Baghdad, Foils Plot to Smuggle Drugs Abroad

Quantities of Captagon prepared for smuggling abroad- SANA
Quantities of Captagon prepared for smuggling abroad- SANA

Syrian authorities said they have thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of drugs out of the country.

The Syrian Narcotics Directorate said on Wednesday it seized approximately 400,000 captagon pills, weighing about 65 kilograms, during an operation in Homs province in central Syria.

The drugs would have been smuggled to other countries, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. Two suspects were arrested on suspicion of managing a drug-trafficking network operating across borders.

The operation was carried out in coordination with Iraq’s General Directorate for Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control, SANA quoted a Syrian Interior Ministry statement as saying.

Earlier this month, the Syrian Narcotics Directorate conducted a joint security operation with the Iraqi authorities targeting an international drug-trafficking network, and seizing about 300,000 Captagon pills. Two people were also arrested.